“Hey teacher, I did it well” – 20-year-old Nigerian Medical Doctor writes as She Gets Licence to Practice in Nigeria

A 20-year-old Nigerian Medical Doctor, Lilian Okafor, shared an inspiring post via her Instagram handle of how a teacher told her mother that she could not cope with medical school after she graduated from High School at age 13.

She got the licence to practice in Nigeria over the weekend after passing all the necessary examinations.

She shared the photo above and wrote:

I remember a teacher telling my mom when I finished high school at age 13 that I couldn’t cope with medical school at that age but my mom knew her daughter….even though I waited for over a year (thanks to the struggles we face to get into Nigerian Universities), I went to Uganda (some people laughed at me for going but it was the best decision..the reason is a story for another day?)…got my degree, wrote the Nigerian exam…passed of course ? got inducted yesterday… at age 20?…”hey teacher, i did it well”… THANK YOU LORD… now licensed in both East Africa and Nigeria…. Thank you mom and dad… Thank you baee… btw, dad needs to stop calling me a baby Doctor…??

Congratulations Dr. Okafor!

**

As an aside, we appreciate this particular teacher and all teachers that have helped to shape our lives and were instrumental in the successes we enjoy today.

Very classy in its brevity and to-the-point form. A need-to-read/hear story like others in other spheres, business etc where you are told you cant but you believed and did it. If you have an idea of the many that have been stopped because they didn’t know better or had no one to encourage them in the face of ‘superior wisdom’ of some person of influence in their lives that told them in moments of vulnerability that they couldn’t.

Yours truly knows what she is saying…fortunately i too determined i could and did, in the face of verbal doubts even by those closest to me.
Congrats Doc..emm…no.. not baby Doc o lol

…congrats to you but my dear, your teacher meant well. His/ her sentiment was perfectly normal. At that age a lot of people will agree that it was going to be hard for you. Anyways, your desire to prove him wrong is the reason we’re all saying congrats. Indirectly , he pushed to achieve something.
Next time you meet him/her, say Thank You Teacher.

Wait, BN, why are you appreciating the teacher??? Please. “In Yer Face, teacher!” You will be surprised at the number of teachers in Nigeria that have an annoying, know-it-all attitude. And don’t get me started on University lecturers and professors!
But I digress. Nice one Doctor, and congrats.

I see a young doctor proud of her achievement… nothing wrong in that, but the ‘hey, teacher’ part is what I disagree with. Her teacher meant well and so her comments on him/her was totally uncalled for – it comes across as arrogant.

Before you come underneath my comment to attack me. Please note: the teacher was concerned she couldn’t cope with medical studies at such young age. The teacher didn’t tell her she isn’t brilliant/intelligent or won’t make it through or can’t be a doctor. There is a difference and her teacher’s concerns are valid.

The proper thing to say about or to her teacher is: Thank you, you pushed/motivated me to make it through.

Congratulations Dr Lilian Okafor, I hope teachers out there are reading this and should learn a lesson from it. Teachers should be dream makers and not dream breakers to their students irrespective of their age and ability.

It is good Lilian’s parents believed in her when the teachers failed to.

abeg, this one should shut up. No sane parent would throw a thirteen or fourteen year old into the cruel crutches of a university in Nigeria. do u know the pressure there?? is a thirteen year old equipped enough to handle life on her own. A university is no place for a child. Stop rushing your children through school. Go to America, and see why their country is developing. The standard age for a child to proceed into the university level is 18. that’s when they are fully matured and sensible. I see no reason throwing a thirteen year old into a university, it’s not sane

OMG!!! hadiza for the very first time I agree with you!!!!!!! Parents take note do not rush a 13 or 14 year old child into tertiary institutions. I can even give a pass for 16 but 13?! No! Trust me, for every one like her, there 20 that went south. University is not the place for children not to talk of Nigerian universities. Except you’ll be treating the child like they are in secondary school. Even here in North America geniuses don’t go to actual universities. They are taught away from the public. Please tertiary institutions are no place for kids.

Wow this is a big deal! To withstand the intellectual rigors and discipline congrats.
I think it’s a human attribute. We are enthused about painting pictures of obstacles we overcome in the quest to achieve our goals. the movie industry industry is built on this one premise.
Speaking for myself (and i daresay its true for most people), my greatest obstacles are my inner demons. Essentially developing the inner fortitude to create and manage change and the periods of self doubt that change engenders.
Once again congratulations.

I would agree with the teacher on the account of age. Certain universities in Nigeria e.g the University of Ibadan wouldn’t even admit you if you’re less than 16 years, no matter how qualified you are. And I see sense in that. Yours is an exception, thank God for you. Congrats Dr.

Hadiza…God bless you. What is a 13 year old doing in university? Life is not all only about education. At what age did she start secondary school to enter university at 13 or 14 because she said she waited a year. Why did she not gain admission in Nigeria. Did she fail Jamb nee? We should strive on producing well rounded children that have life experiences at the right time. She does not have the maturity to understand that the teacher meant well…the reason for the “in your face statement”. She is still very much a child…so sad.

@hadiza… THANK YOU! I wish like your comment more than once. Why rush a child through uni. I live in europe and 18 is the age as well. Education is more than just book and boasting rights. Some environments are not suitable for children hence film, video game etc rating. Happy she graduated, maybe she is more mature than her age… but a 14 yr old in uni exposed to all sorts.. uggghhh… i shudder at the thots and other ramifications. Niger parents… please be careful

For her not to understand the teacher’s concerns shows that she is still very much a child even after graduating from medical school.
What is the deal with Nigerian parents and rushing their kids through school. No joke, I once met a woman that said she would make sure her daughter entered university by 14. I didn’t get it and I still don’t get it. Schools are not left out of the craze. Some primary schools equate quality with the number of their students that enter secondary school by age 7/8.

True talk, Hadiza! What in heaven’s name is a 13 year old doing in a tertiary institution? Yes, she may be brainy amongst her older colleagues but fact is that she was actually struggling. Place her with her mates and you’ll see the difference.

LOL. Nigerians are always shaming people. Shey this “humility” we must all have has propelled our country forward, abi?

She was right not to listen to her teacher and she’s right to be proud of her achievements. And yes, American universities enroll young geniuses. I know a Nigerian girl who entered an American university at 14. And a quick Google search reveals several others who enrolled at much younger.

I would have to agree a bit with those who used the word ‘unclassy’ . I would use the word ‘childish’ instead? as you seem to have gone through med school in order to come out and gloat openly at a teacher who raised valid concerns about your progress and welfare. 13, 14 is way too early to get into uni.

Do you think at your 20 yr old age i would allow you to touch me with your seeming level of inexperience if i were to walk into the hospital where u practice? Hell no!

I would rather deal with a more experienced doctor before you come and use me as gùinea pig.
Just be happy, congratulate yourself and continue to evolve

Actually you are wrong. She will be fully mature at age 21 not 18. The frontal lobe of human brain is fully developed after Age 21 this is why alcohol is prohibited before 21. Alcohols impairs the maturation and full development of the frontal lobe of the brain which is responsible for judgement and decision making skills.

nigerians like to rush and show off everything. even if my child graduates at 13, i would NEVER let him/her enter the university at that age. Im sure the girl got double promotion, etc. from her post, she still has a lot of growing up to do.